


what does it mean to win?

by bimbofish



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, makes my own content bc the tag is lacking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:29:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22547806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bimbofish/pseuds/bimbofish
Summary: 30 day OTP challenge between sonia x leon
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Sonia
Comments: 43
Kudos: 122





	1. DAY 1: HAND HOLDING

**Author's Note:**

> i'm going by the list below! a few days i'm going to change up because i don't feel comfortable writing them, but it will 90% stick to the list!  
> https://fanlore.org/wiki/30_Day_OTP_Challenge

“It’s not  _ that _ bad!” Leon insisted with a huff, trudging behind Sonia as Yamper sniffed his way through the Glimwood Tangle.

“It is,” Her hand was tight around his, dragging him along. There was a certain skip in her step-- something that told him she got quite the kick out of this. Even a little Impdimp snickered and scuttled away as they walked past. This was embarrassing. He tried to slip his hand away from hers, her grip tightened.

Yamper stopped in front of them, lifting his head to sniff the air. After a distress signal from Leon, Sonia came to help him find his way. Over the phone, she groaned and asked why he didn’t take a flying taxi, he wanted to take the scenic route. Disaster waiting to happen, she would go on, he ought to be smarter about these kinds of things. No matter how much she scolded him, she always came to his aid.

Sonia slowed behind her pokemon, taking a look around herself. They both were trying to remember which way to go. It would be the perfect opportunity to take a jab about how she was just as pants as him in this forest. He would have hell to pay if he even bothered to open his mouth.

Her grip softened around his, he didn’t bother to pull it away this time. Leon was acutely aware of how her fingers slipped between his.

With a wag of his tail, Yamper found a different scent. He kept his nose to the ground as he scurried forward, Sonia tailing close behind. Leon tried to walk alongside her.

Her hand was so warm. It wasn’t hot, not an uncomfortable kind of heat, it was soothing. Getting lost in this forest was nerve-wracking enough, it didn’t take long to notice that his hands were clammy.

He winced.

“So what are you going to Ballonlea for? Meeting up with Bede?” It was a modest attempt to start conversation, Leon humored her.

“Yeah, Opal wanted me to teach him a thing or two about battling. I really don’t think he needs it-- I’ve heard great things from Rose and Gloria-- but since he’s her prodigy I might as well see what he’s got?”

“You better go easy on him,” She looked up at him, lips curled in a little smirk. “Don’t go unleashing your Aegislash and wiping him out right away, he’s still a kid.”

“You forget who you’re talking to!” Leon bumped his shoulder into hers, she stumbled from the path and for a second, he was afraid he would’ve knocked her over. She was quick to give him a shove back, giggling all the while.

“No, I know exactly who I’m talking to. You get too into it sometimes.” Her hand gave him a quick squeeze, it was enough to get him to pipe down. Although dainty and smooth, her hands were strong.

Reliable.

He couldn’t refute her claims. Sometimes he didn’t know his own strength, he felt there was a bit of a bite to her words. He was here to help, not to emerge victorious.

Yamper took a turn, they followed. There was a Swirlix bouncing on one of the mushrooms, dust scattering with each landing. A Shinotic kept a careful eye on them, not one full of anger but parental and protective. Sonia took notice of it too.

“Cute, innit?” There was a trace of a smile in her tone, Leon hummed in agreement. He rubbed his thumb absentmindedly over hers. He noticed how her hand went limp, his chest felt warm.

With a few quick barks, Yamper jumped with glee and zipped ahead.

Sonia turned to face him, now gripping his hand a bit tighter, “Found it,” and broke out into a run.

She let go of his hand, leaving him no choice but to chase after her. He could still feel the ghost of her hand in his, he didn’t want it to go away. And once he caught up with her, they were in Ballonlea.

“Can you find your way to the Ballonlea Gym?” Sonia put her hands on her hips as one eyebrow cocked upward. It was hard to take her seriously while Yamper barked up her leg.

He knew his way from here. That didn’t stop his hand from reaching for her wrist, tracing down to lift her hand from her hip and raise her knuckles to his lips to press a kiss against her.

“No.” He whispered against her, taking in the sight of her shock. Leon was very familiar with how Sonia would roll her eyes and try to play off her embarrassment, but he knew that when she avoided eye contact and tried to suppress a smile that she was having a good time.

“You’re daft.” She seized his hand in hers once more and turned to march him towards the back of Ballonlea. The townspeople watched as the champion was dragged by the professor’s granddaughter, a giant grin plastered to his face.


	2. DAY 2: CUDDLING SOMEWHERE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this is kinda gonna go in sequential order? didn’t reread this bc i’m posting it from my phone 🤟

After picking Sonia up from the Pokemon Research Lab in Wedgehurst, they were off to Hammerlocke.

It was Raihan’s birthday, he always threw himself the craziest parties. Part of it was for publicity but most of it was just who Raihan was. There was one time he rented out the largest pool he could find in Galar and invited over a hundred people, another time he went to Alola and rented out a whole beach, a few years ago he hosted an all-night manhunt all over the Wild Area with the base being Hammerlocke stairway. With a Gym Leader salary, anything was possible.

The Wedgehurst station wasn’t busy, the two were able to board without any problem. Leon got a few stares, a few kids asking for an autograph. Nowhere near the crowd he usually got. They were able to shuffle into the seat without any problem. Sonia sat next to the window and Leon beside her, a pleasant change from their usual arrangement.

“What’d you get him?” Sonia asked, unzipping her purse to dig out what she got him.

“A Masterball… It’s so hard to get a gift for the man who has everything.” Leon laughed and shook his head but Sonia knew he spent hours thinking of what to get him. He turned to face her. “What about you?”

She wagged a Pokeball in front of his face.

“A Shiny Gible.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously!” The train started to move as she turned towards him. “I was on the Isle of Armor for Gran and this little guy comes waltzing out of the bushes! He sure gave Yamper a hard time, we had to tire him out a little but I caught him and he’s absolutely  _ perfect  _ for Raihan!”

Leon was at a loss for words, but nothing could shake the proud smile off his face.

*

The ride to Hammerlocke was going to be a few hours long with few stops in between. Raihan gave very little information about what would happen at his party, only a very daunting picture of a fire. Sonia and Leon took turns guessing what it would be. Leon guessed it would have something to do with Fire-Types, Sonia argued that the fire was just a metaphor for something bigger. She draped her legs over his lap at some point during the conversation, he put a hand over her outer thigh for support.

A few people boarded the train at the Wild Area, all of them very surprised to see Leon. He was always so good at hyping up his fans, Sonia could never get over it. They all left him alone when they saw he was with somebody else. Polite and very much appreciated. Leon wrapped an arm around her shoulders and looked into her eyes for a few seconds too long when nobody was looking.

Sonia rested her head on his shoulder as they talked about funny things their pokemon did. Sonia toyed with his fingers as she told him how Yamper chased a Chewtle and got a Water Gun to the face for it. Leon’s hand ran up and down her thigh as he recalled the one time his Charizard got the sniffles and sneezed out wisps of fire.

A few hours had passed, they were almost at Hammerlocke when Leon planted his face in her neck.

“Wake me up when we get there.” He grumbled, the drowsiness shared with Sonia as well.

She pouted and scratched the back of his head. “Sleepy?” He purred.

“Just a little…” That was the last few words she heard from him before he drifted off for good. With his arm still around her back and over her thighs, there was little he could do to push him off. Not that she wanted to, but she was rather warm…

Sonia glanced around the train, making sure the people around her weren’t focused on the sleeping champion. Protective, yes, but for good reason. They were just friends-- really good friends-- she didn’t want word about this leaking out to the press and causing an upset.

For Leon’s sake.

It was hard to deny that she didn’t have a little bit of a crush, but then again who didn’t? That’s what prevented her from making a move. She couldn’t read him. There were so many suitors he could choose from, she wanted to know whether or not she was on the list.

Her fingers combed through his hair now, slightly sullen by the thought he would go for someone else. She knew him better than anybody else-- even better than himself sometimes. He was hard to read by everybody, she had a bit of an easier time with it. Sometimes nobody could figure out what goes through his head. That’s what she loved about him.

Sonia was quick to pull her phone out of her purse and snap a few pictures of Leon sleeping on her. Blackmail for him, something to reminisce on for her. She put her phone back in her purse with a guilty giggle, focusing back on Leon. Carefully, she tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear and felt him shift slightly. He wasn’t awake, but he was aware. That didn’t stop her from kissing the top of his head.

Whether or not he felt it was a risk she was willing to take.

*

  
“Leon was sleeping on the way here?” Raihan looked down on Leon with a dignified smirk, he was less than pleased about it.

“Yeah, look.” Sonia dug her phone out of her purse and opened her photo gallery.

“Wait, what did you--” Before Leon could finish his thought, Sonia was flipping through different pictures she took with Leon asleep on her shoulder.

Raihan aww’d, Leon tried to snatch her phone away and Sonia ducked behind the birthday boy with the same guilty giggle as before. Raihan joked about it around the giant bonfire he crafted in his stadium for the rest of the night.


	3. DAY 3: WATCHING A MOVIE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "sonia wears the pants... leon wears the shorts... can i make it anymore obvious" -Avril Levine

Sonia wasn’t surprised to find Leon’s Mum open the door and greet her with a smile.

“Sonia!” She laughed and pulled her in for a hug. She eagerly reciprocated and rubbed her back as the older woman gave her a squeeze.

“Hi Mum!” Over the years, she grew used to Sonia visiting so often that she started to call her Mum. It was a joke at first, but then Sonia saw her more and more as a mother figure. She would joke how she was over more than Leon, but today he was home. He didn’t have many challengers at the moment, he told her over text. Thought he might visit, so Sonia made sure she saw him while he was here.

“Is Hop home?” Sonia asked, coming inside and taking off her heels at the door. Leon’s Mum shook her head and walked towards the kitchen.

“He’s out in Spikemuth working on that badge. He’s getting so close, you know. I’m so proud of him.” Leon would have more challengers soon it seemed… He needed the break.

“Is Leon home yet?”

“No, about to be! I told him to call me when he reaches the station so I can walk him home, unless…?” She cast a glance over her shoulder, Sonia giggled.

“I’ll go too…”  
“Perfect! Would you want to help me make lunch while you wait? It’s Magikarp and chips-- Leon’s favorite-- along with some berry salad.”

Sonia took off her jacket and washed her hands, then the berries.

*

Leon arrived at the station just after the Magikarp finished frying. Perfect timing, Sonia joked, but his mum insisted she had it all planned out. So together they walked to Wedgehurst to greet the Champion through a crowd of adoring townspeople. Leon bid them farewell before scooping the two of them in a hug at once.

“My favorite ladies!” He cheered, even lifting them off the ground for a few seconds. Sonia laughed, his mum begged to be put down.

His ride home was nice and quiet, he made a note of how much he looked forward to being home. Sonia had a feeling he said it because his mom wanted to hear it, but that didn’t stop the smile spreading all across her face.

Once home, he seemed more eager to be back. The smell of his favorite food had him washed and seated in only minutes, very eager for his mum’s cooking. Sonia was too. It was so hard cooking with Leon’s Mum, she made food that smelt divine… Her mouth was pooling with saliva all while she cut berries.

His mum served the three of them and Sonia served the berry salad, his mom doting on how generous she was and how hard she worked. Her eyes averted that of his mother’s, a polite smile on her face to show she accepted her praise even if she didn’t acknowledge it. The same smile Leon saw the other day in Ballonlea.

He was done with his food in record time. “By God, you guys make the best food…”

“Come home more often then.” Sonia teased, biting into another chip. Leon frowned, looking a little distant.

“I wish I had the time.”

After lunch, Leon’s Mum insisted she took care of the dishes and shooed Leon and Sonia off to do something by themselves.

“Sonia, c’mere.” He dashed upstairs and she was close behind. Into his room he went, only now taking off his cape and tossing it onto his bed before thumbing through a stack of DVD cases.

She could hardly remember the last time she was there. It must’ve been when they were little kids, but judging by all the hats on his wall he was back home more often than she thought. He started it just before his journey, and now the collection was huge.

“Look,” He tossed a case towards her and she barely managed to catch it. Flipping it over, she smiled at the title.

“Lady and the Yamper?” Her favorite movie. She would always want to watch it whenever she came over to his house, Gran didn’t let her watch a lot of movies because she needed silence to concentrate and by then she was too young to stay home by herself.

“We used to watch it all the time, remember? Let’s watch it again.” Sonia had to analyze his face to see if he was serious or not. It looked like he was serious. It warmed her chest to think he would genuinely want to watch it, she feared at their age it would be too childish. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth at him.

“I’ll race ya to the couch!” Before Leon could react, she was already out of the room and down the stairs. She yelped as she heard his footsteps thundering behind her, almost right on her heels. It was a mad dash to the couch, enough to scare Purrloin into scurrying out of the room and upstairs, probably to hide under Hop’s bed. They both crashed on the couch on the same time, Leon punching the air.

“I won! The unbeatable champion in more ways than one!”

“Nuh-uh! I sat down before you!”

“No, I did!”

“No!”

“Children, please!” Leon’s Mum called from the kitchen which quieted them quick. Leon had to bite back a smile, Sonia handed him the DVD case. He put the movie in and returned to the couch, plopping all his weight down next to her so she jumped off the couch.

She snickered, he put his arm around her shoulders as the movie began.

It felt like forever since she watched it-- really watched it. The only time she really saw it was with Leon. Watching it with Yamper was fun but sometimes she missed being able to bounce comments off of another person. Something that was new was sitting so close to him.

She was very aware of the weight of his arm. And soon she narrowed her focus in on the way his nose sounded with each inhale and exhale paired with the rise and fall of his chest against her shoulder.

She wondered if he noticed details about her like that.

He left to make some popcorn around the time that Lady met Yamper. The absence of his arm left her feeling chilly. She recalled the conversation she had with his mum earlier that day.

_“Does Leon ever talk about being in a relationship with anybody?” Straightforward, yes, but she told her everything._

_Leon’s Mum poked at the Magikarp in the fryer before looking towards her._

_“No, why?”_

_Sonia hesitated, looking down at the Oran Berry she was in the middle of cutting._

_“I think I like Leon.” Blood pounded in her ears, she could faintly hear his mum laugh._

_“Call me bonkers, but I always hoped the two of you would get together.” She snapped her head towards her._

_“Really?”_

_She nodded, taking the fish out of the fryer to lie on a paper towel. “You’re a very bright girl, Sonia. Just as smart as you are beautiful, I trust you with my son. I know you know how to keep him in line.”_

Leon came back and plopped back down beside her again. She jumped slightly, a few pieces of popcorn came flying from the bowl.

“Leon!” She scolded, picking a piece out of his hair. He opened his mouth. With a roll of her eyes and a smile, she fed him that piece, then picked a piece off her lap and ate that. He crunched it loud on purpose, right next to her ear. She pushed him away and grabbed a handful from the bowl. They started playing the movie again.

Sometimes their hands touched as they went in for popcorn. Sometimes Sonia would nudge his hand out of the way to get the piece they both wanted. He would feign a look of shock, she would eat it with pride. He put his arm around her shoulders again and would occasionally flick a piece of popcorn out of her hand as payback.

Near the climax, she rested her head on his shoulder. He sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was waiting for you to do that the whole time.”

They were silent for a bit, Sonia decided to bite the bullet.

“So, big shot, you interested in anybody?” That caught him off guard. He started to twirl a lock of her hair.

“I might be.” He hummed, now intensely focused on the T.V. screen. Her heart shot through her chest. She had hope but at the same time she feared her hope was in vain. Especially with his finger in her hair.

“Who? Tell me!” She looked up to him, trying to put on her best face. Deep down she prayed it was her. He stuffed his face with a large handful of popcorn.

“Mouf’s full, so’y.”

Sonia groaned and propped her chin on his shoulder.

“C’mon… please?” Her lower lip stuck out and she gave her best and most convincing puppy-dog eyes. He still looked at the T.V. as he struggled to chew. Her hands moved to wrap around his waist, being careful to move them slowly and methodically to get his attention. He glanced towards her for only a second, before he dragged a hand down his face.

“Gueth.” He was still chewing through a few last pieces.

“Is it… Raihan?” He shook his head and swallowed.

“What about Nessa?”

No.

“Hmm… Melony?”  
“She’s married.”

“I know, I was testing you.” He rolled his eyes, now turning to look her in the eyes. Sonia was too afraid to say her name, she almost hoped he would say it for her. He didn’t look like he was planning on saying anything. She bit her lip

“... Me?”

“Maybe.”

She sure hoped so. With a smile, she rested her cheek back on his shoulder.

The movie was finished shortly after. There was an awkward silence between them. Sonia checked the time.

“Gran should be expecting me soon… How long are you staying in town for?”

Leon gnawed on the inside of his cheek in thought, standing up after putting the DVD away.

“Today and tomorrow… Gotta be back right away.”

Sonia stood up and moved to hold his hands. His eyes flickered downwards. “Come to Gran’s house tomorrow at 7 AM sharp. Let’s go on a date.” He looked back towards her, surprised.

“Really?” Sonia nodded.

“There’s a really good place to get breakfast in Hulbery, let’s go there tomorrow.”

Leon shook his head. “No, I just can’t believe you trust me with directions.”

“... Fine. I’ll pick you up at 7 AM. Be ready.”


	4. DAY 4: DATE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this is probably one of the last chapters that really. set the scene / develop the plot? most of them are gonna be little drabbles after chapter 5.

“White or… Red?” Yamper could barely keep his eyes open. No matter how many outfits Sonia ran through her head, none of them were  _ just  _ right. She wanted to go for something casual and cute-- it’s only breakfast, she can’t get too excited. Just another first date, she’s been on plenty of first dates before.

Why is this one different?

The white one was cute, maybe a little too much for breakfast and the red one was checkered… Cute for a picnic, brunch even, but maybe a little too summery. Her makeup was already finished, it’s not like she could wipe it all off to fit a different clothing color palette. She groaned and shoved the dresses back into her closet. Maybe pants… No, she’d wear a skirt.

It took her a while to settle on a bright red sweater and a white mini pencil skirt. Adorned with a cute heart-link belt (a little too big so it sagged over one hip, but not too big to fall off), a braid over her shoulder, big hoops and a small heart-shaped purse, she gave a small twirl in the mirror. She just had to tie up her knee-high boots and she was ready.

A little extra was just enough.

Scooping Yamper up under one arm and putting a pair of sunglasses atop her head with the other, she headed out, closing the door quietly as to not disturb Gran.

*

With a knock at the door, Leon perked up. The clock read 7:00 exactly-- typical Sonia to always be on top of her game. Unlike her, he was half-dressed, still needed to comb out his bedhead, and pick out the perfect snapback. It would be impolite to leave her waiting, so he scrambled downstairs and opened the door.

“Sorry, I’m almost d…”

Wow.

She looked… stunning. Very coordinated and bright, covered in flashy accessories and only wearing what was “in” while still looking cozy. Yeah, that was the Sonia he knew. And it never failed to take his breath away. Yamper galloped inside, yipping with glee as he made eye contact with his family’s Purrloin who rushed off in the other direction.

“Yamper! Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, Yamper!” Sonia pushed past him to chase after her pokemon who drove his up a couch. Plucking him up under the armpits, she held him to her chest as he wriggled and growled to get free. It wasn’t long before he went back into his Pokeball and back into her purse.

She sighed, preoccupied with clasping it shut. “I’m sorry about him, I really hope he didn’t wake up your Mum.” That’s when she got a good look at him. Her jaw dropped. “Leon, get ready! You’re still in your pajama pants, you twat!” She gave him a quick swat to the arm. He was quick to retreat back upstairs.

“I’ll be ready in five, honest!” He called back to her, throwing open his travel bag. He didn’t pack thinking he would go on a date. The only pair he packed-- thank god-- were ripped at the knees. But he knew Sonia wouldn’t have his head over it, as long as he looked somewhat coordinated. Realistically, he should’ve let her pick out his outfit.

Just as he was brushing out the last knot in his hair, his date waltzed into his room, hands behind her back, looking like she had something on her mind. She went right up to his wall of hats, taking a dark red one off the wall and slipping it onto her head. He got that one when he was in Kanto for a Champion meeting. He originally got two-- one for him, one for Hop-- but when Sonia spun on her heels to face him he was ready to give it up.

“Just called a Flying Taxi,” she explained, taking the hat off to take off her sunglasses before settling them on the rim of his hat. “They should be here in a few minutes. Good to see you know how to dress, I got worried for a second.”

“You don’t give me enough credit.” Leon shook his head with a smile. The knot finally came out, he stood up and grabbed one of the hats at random. Black with gold trim, just enough to bring out his eyes as Sonia would say. His smile grew as he put it snug over his head. She was always there for him, she knew exactly what to say.

They descended the stairs together, chatting lightly about what each other was wearing. Leon’s Mum wished them well then into the Taxi they went. The driver seemed surprised to see the Champion, but didn’t say anything about it.

The trip felt short, they talked the entire time. At one point, Leon leaned over to adjust the size of Sonia’s hat so it fit. She didn’t stop him, she was smiling the whole time. When he was done, she rested her head on his shoulder and slipped her hand into his. He sighed with content, pressing his forehead against the side of her head. She smelt like vanilla and wet dog. Comforting, really.

It was a place called “Seaside Corner”, family-owned and run. It was tucked away near the dock, a place that you had to know about to be able to find. Sonia said they had killer waffles.

It bustled with life, looked just as homely as it did well-worn. Lots of pictures of locals hung up on the wall as well as signed photos from gym leaders and a few posters of him.

“They have a picture of you when you first became champion. Remember? When you were ten?” His stomach churned.

Despite how busy it was, they were seated almost immediately. A little table near the middle of the restaurant, the two sat across from each other where Leon could get a good view of the lighthouse behind her and Sonia could see the poster of him when he was ten. He watched how she scanned the menu with knowing confidence, a manicured hand holding back her braid.

“Were your nails red yesterday?” He asked, undoing his napkin to set it on his lap. She looked at her nails and smiled with a shake of her head.

“No, they were green yesterday… After I asked you out I knew I had to get them redone.” Her confession touched him, he reached his hand out to her and she placed hers in his. He looked them over with a thoughtfulness that made Sonia feel instantly relaxed. Squared off and glossy, the ring finger painted a sparkly silver to offset the rest. It was hard to catch her with the same nails twice, each time was a new surprise.

He raised her hand to his lips and left a kiss that lasted a moment too long. His eyes flickered up towards her, she couldn’t stop smiling, shy and struggling to meet his gaze. But she did. He continued to hold her hand, rubbing his thumb over her fingers.

“The waffles are good, right?” He glanced down at the menu, trying to find where it was.

As if her smile couldn’t grow any bigger, it did. “Yeah! I get them with Pecha Berries on top and whipped cream and chocolate syrup. It’s  _ to die _ for!” It was contagious. He wasn’t one for sugary breakfasts, but…

“It’s a big plate, we can share if you’d like.”

“I’ll get the Gossifleur Omelette while we’re at it, we can pick off of that too.”

“Perfect.”

The waitress came over not soon after, clearly starstruck. She did her best to keep her cool. Sonia ordered a coffee and the waffles, Leon ordered a glass of Oran Berry juice and the omelet. She promised it would be right out, then added that the owner would be thrilled to meet Leon if he would have her. He agreed with a smile, Sonia knew it was for show. As soon as she left, it fell. He looked sullen. She squeezed his hand.

“What’s up?” Although peppy and loud, her voice turned quiet. He looked towards her sheepishly, adjusting his cap.

“If we’re gonna date, this is going to be a norm… I just really hope it isn’t a burden to you.”

“Leo, I’m used to it by now,” She reassured with a smile and a shrug, “you’re the Chapmion, I get it.”

“I’m just worried it may get too much, there’s very little privacy, y’know? I’m used to everyone knowing everything about me, I’m just scared it may get a little too much for you.”

He had a point. Reporters, press, fans, everyone was always up in his business. In all his years of being Champion, he has never mentioned having a “champion time” when they were alone. He was used to catering to what the people wanted to see out of him. Sonia wondered if he was putting up a front for her too.

“We’ll take it as it comes.” With that, she placed her feet on top of his. He swung his feet out from under hers and tried to get on top. It resulted in a foot scuffle of the century. If it weren’t for the beard or the heavy face of makeup, people could mistake them for two scuffling children with the way they laughed. Unapologetic and full of joy. He wondered if she knew that would snap him out of it.

The food came and the two of them had to come to a truce not to touch feet while they ate lest one of them choked on their food. Leon had shifted the plates so they were side by side, perfect for the two of them to dig into. Even though he didn’t like confectionary things for breakfast, he ate more than half of the waffle. Sonia had to remind him to slow down and leave some for her. The omelet was just as good, containing lots of green and red vegetables that earned it its name.

Leon leaned back in his chair, blowing a heavy sigh through his lips. “Man, that hit the spot… I’m gobsmacked.” He watched Sonia dab at the corners of her lips with her napkin and chortle. It was then the waitress returned with the bill and a woman who’s hair was starting to gray. She went on about how she watched all his matches and showed them often at her restaurant, about what an honor it was to have him eat at her humble little restaurant. She asked for a picture. He smiled and gestured for her to come closer as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It only took one look at his date, who sat patiently by, for him to speak up.

“Hey, before we take the picture, can she get in it?” The request came as a surprise to the shop owner. He continued. “Professor Magnolia’s granddaughter, my rival since I first started my Gym Challenge. She’s gonna go places someday, you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“Leon…” Sonia began.

“Oh, of course! Here, come here dearie.” The restaurant owner waved her towards her as the waitress readied the camera. So Sonia got on the other side of her. Leon’s chest swelled with pride, it showed in the picture too. She showed them the picture, Leon said he really liked it, Sonia thought it was cute.

“Oh, please come again soon so you both can sign it!”

“I will when I come back to Hulbery.” He promised with a tip of his hat. With a smile, she thanked them both for coming and hurried back towards the kitchen. They split the bill and headed out. Once outside, Sonia linked her arm around Leon’s.

“You go through stuff like that every day?” She looked up at him and he sighed with a smile.

“You get used to it.”


	5. DAY 5: KISSING

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i didn't post this yesterday! my throat is and was killing me and i've been diving head first into beastars recently... eyes emoji. BUT ITS HERE!!!

“It’s funny how we’ve been friends for fifteen years or so and now we’re going on a date.” Sonia commented, who took off her boots a while ago, her toes trying to pluck individual blades of grass. Leon’s hands were behind his head and back on the grass, staring up at the clouds in the Wild Area as they passed.

“Would you believe me if I said I’ve had a crush on you for about half that time?” She snapped her head towards him.

“Since when?” He couldn’t see it, but he could practically see the look on her face. Shock, eyes wide, mouth half-open.

“I think it was when I was like… Seventeen? I called you out of the blue and you were crying because your boyfriend just dumped you. Wasn’t his name like… Justin or something like that? I don’t remember. You told me all about it and I just listened and tried to help in whatever way I could. Then you stopped and we talked about silly stuff, anything other than that and it just felt so natural…

“Then the next day I went all the way from Wyndon to Wedgehurst and I bought you the heart hairpins you use and a Charmander doll. And you hugged me so tight and started crying again. My shirt got all wet and snotty, so when I went home to Mum and she washed it for me, I wanted to keep seeing you happy and make you smile. You called me a tissue for weeks afterward and I couldn’t see tissues the same way again for  _ years _ .

“Being so far away from you really hurt, I tried to forget about it or block it out but it was so hard. I couldn’t feel that way about anyone the same way I did about you. So…”

Sonia was quiet, almost a little too quiet. It dawned upon the Champion that he may have creeped her out, he didn’t know for sure if she even liked him back. He screwed his eyes shut, bracing for what came next. If he fucked all this up, he would never be able to forgive himself.

“Do you remember when you gave Hop a pokemon?” He looked up, she was shifted towards him now, toying with a blade of grass she picked.

“His Sobble?”

She nodded. “And you came back to the lab and paid more attention to Yamper than you did to me and the only damn thing you had to say about me was that I was a good cook. It made my blood boil.” She shook her head with a light laugh, ripping the blade down the middle. “It made me realize how much I missed you and missed teasing you. You’re an arse, but like, my arse. And it kind of… blossomed from there. I started noticing you more, thinking about you more, wanting to be with you more, wanting  _ you _ more.”

Leon sat up, Sonia looked him in the eye. Then his shoulders slumped, he smiled and leaned back on his lands.

“You  _ liiiike _ me.” He whistled, Sonia threw her grass at him. He snorted, watching it cascade down before it even got close to him. In a huff, she turned her back to him and glared off in the other direction.

He pounced.

They rolled downhill with a shriek and a laugh before flopping over, Leon clutching Sonia tightly to his chest so she lay on top of him.

He roared with laughter, shaking his date who clung to him for dear life. It was only when he started trying to spit her hair out of his mouth that she regained her senses.

“You’re so stupid.” She sighed, trying her personal best not to laugh along with him. By now, without the use of his hands, he resorted to using his teeth to scrape her individual strands of hair from his tongue. It drew a soft giggle out of her, who tucked her forelock behind her ear, including the hair from his mouth, and moved her hands to hold his face.

That quieted him down quickly. Her eyes softened. Left thumb brushing against his cheek. Body relaxing on top of his. She became aware of how her arms were tucked beneath her chest, a space between them.

She closed a different space--the one between their lips.

It was warm and inviting yet lively. A release from a floaty high, one that brought you back down to earth with a tight embrace. His hands relaxed from around her waist. She pulled away and rested her forehead against his. Her eyes were so close to his, he couldn’t see them clearly but he knew just how they sparkled when she was happy. He memorized it.

Sonia sat up on his hips, lending him a hand. He took it and pulled himself up, not before rocking her as he regained his balance. His hands cupped her cheeks, pulling her in for a second kiss.

And a third, when their noses bumped together awkwardly.

And a fourth, when his hands got a little too close to her rear and she smacked them.

And a fifth, when neither of them could breathe.

But not a sixth. Their lips ached, she was too preoccupied with taking a good look at him to go in for another. “You have lipstick all over your face.” Her eyes told her she was defeated, but the smile on her face said otherwise.

“So do you.” Leon smirked. She puffed her cheeks out in defiance, pecking him before getting off his lap and digging around in her purse.

“I know I have tissues in here, but no water or makeup wipes…”

“There’s a Quagsire over there, maybe they can hose us down.”

“Don’t you dare!” But he was already gone.


	6. DAY 6: WEARING EACH OTHER'S CLOTHES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this isn't about the chapter but i wanted to share that i encountered a shiny bisharp in a max raid yesterday and when i threw a pokeball at him, he got out before the first wiggle and i haven't been the same since.

Leon was back in Wyndon the next day, seen off by his mum and his date. There was a light talk of making it official, but nothing committal just yet. Sonia wanted to go on more dates first, just to get used to their feelings instead of hiding them. Reasonable enough, but as Leon was caught in another board meeting with Chairman Rose and the League Officials, he wondered how often they would be able to meet up.

Part of him wanted to steal her away to Wyndon, coup her up in his apartment and build a pillow fort. Yeah, a real big one. One that could fit her and Yamper, him and Charizard…

“Leon?”

He wondered what she would look like wearing one of his shirts. The thought of the sleeves reaching her elbows because his shoulders were so big made him sink into his seat.

“Leon? Hello, Earth to Leon?” A sharp elbow to his bicep snapped him out of it. Adjusting himself in his seat, he bowed his head with apology. Right. Back to work.

*

[ _Do you have that shirt I gave you a few years ago?_ ] Sonia was in the middle of reading a series of fairy tales regarding Galar’s two heroes when her phone buzzed. Upon seeing it was Leon, she picked it up immediately.

[ _u mean the one you got from that alolan airport? yeah why?_ ]

[ _Can youuu… maybe… send me a picture of you wearing it? :-)_ ] Sonia rolled her eyes and stuck an old Mustard League Card where she left off and slid off of her bed.

[ _sure! one sec xx_ ]. She used it as pajamas most of the time, occasionally when she went out but not often. It was a bright shade of red, faded with time and on the chest was “Welcome to Alola!” written in yellow cursive in front of a backdrop of one of their beaches. Thankfully the logo was only contained to an oval shape on the chest, if it had spread to the whole shirt she would never wear it.

It used to be Leon’s. A few years ago she went to his house with Raihan; a sleepover between old friends. Sonia had forgotten to pack a change of clothes, and since it was dark out, Leon insisted that she just wear one of his shirts rather than going home in pitch-black darkness. Raihan begged to have one of his shirts too, claiming it was unfair that she got a shirt from one of his champion-related journeys and he didn’t, so Leon gave him one of his Lance t-shirts from Johto. That shut him up real quick.

She offered to wash it and give it back but he refused. Looking back on it, he was smiling fondly as if he liked seeing her in the shirt. One of the first signs of his crush on her. She shook her head with a grin. That boy…

Peeling off her shirt from the day and slipping into this one was comforting. Her work for the day wasn’t over, but it sure felt like she could use a break. Maybe five minutes to talk to Leon then back to reading.

Taking selfies was one of Sonia’s many skills. If he wanted to see her wearing the shirt, then a mirror selfie would do--without the flash. The lighting wasn’t exactly ideal since the sun was going down and her lightbulbs gave off a yellowish glow. Nothing her fairy lights wouldn’t fix. Set the lights to white and it would give off a sense of natural light. A little prosthetic, but clear enough to see her and the shirt.

Everything was a science to the scientist’s child.

She took the picture easily. Sitting her weight naturally onto her right leg made her hip pop just right, her phone was positioned between her neck and shoulder and her eyes were focused on the screen rather than the camera on the back of her phone. Her opposite hand was held up into a peace sign. Innocent and cute, just like a little Deerling.

She hit send. His reply was almost instant.

[ 😍😍😍😍 _Wow…_ ] Her face broke out in a big smile, nails clicking rapidly against her screen as she replied.

[ _that good huh? <3<3 _] Sure, she liked to play it off cool but she was as giddy as a high schooler. She was 27, so was Leon. Those days were long behind her. No high school crush made her feel the way he did.

[ _DUH! Haha :-D Thanks, Sun! Sorry, I just had kind of a rough day today, it really cheered me up_ ] She pouted.

[ _omg what happened? I’m here for u :-(_ ] It took him a long time to reply, she was watching the text bubble pop up and disappear sporadically. She sat on the stool before her vanity.

[ _Nothing huge, I just kept on getting side tracked during business meetings. Rose wasn’t happy about it, but he’s Rose, he always forgives me. I was daydreaming a lot about you._ ]

She stared down at her phone. Because of her? She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or responsible for how poorly his day went. This was Leon, he would never make her feel bad on purpose.

[ _i’m so sorry… that sux. especially business meetings that’s disgusting._ ]

[ _Haha! No worries. I just really want to see you again._ ] Sonia dropped the cool-guy act.

[ _i wanna see you too… aren’t we hanging out with nessa soon?_ ]

[ _Yes, Friday._ ] She smiled and opened her camera again. This time, she took a video of her blowing a kiss to the camera and saying, “I’ll see you then, ‘kay?”. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the end, that's when she stopped recording, looked it over, then pressed send.

In return, she received a video of Leon lying on his bed with the flash on, clutching his chest and acting like he was shot down by her kiss. She laughed, but it was quickly cut off when she saw what he was wearing.

She called him, he picked up.

“Hi hone--” Sonia cut him off quick.

“Is that my Yamper sweatshirt I lost last year?!” He snorted and roared with laughter over the phone. “Leon, did you take it from me? I’ve been looking for it everywhere! Nan thought I was barmy!”

“Okay, it _might_ be yours…” Sonia groaned so loud she swore Leon didn’t need the phone to hear it.

“Thanks a lot, you _thief_. You’re lucky that you look good in yellow.”

“So I can keep it?”

“Yeah…” The temptation to watch the video again was irresistible. He started to go on about this amazing place he went to for lunch as she replayed the video several times over. Yellow was his color, gold specifically but yellow was a close second. He looked comfortable in it, the more she watched it the more she wished she gave it to him as a gift. The big ears on the hood were laid out against the pillow, making it look like he was surprised.

“... We should go there sometime!”

She wasn’t paying attention, but the affection in her voice was hard to hide. “Yeah.”

“What’re you so sappy for?” He teased, she closed her eyes and smiled.

“Oh, nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tomorrow is gonna be a fun little chapter


	7. DAY 7: COSPLAYING

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two idiots goofing off

“I have no idea how Nessa’s going to react…”

“She’s gonna love it.”

“You know she won’t”.

It was Sonia’s brilliant idea to purchase the female water gym uniforms for the two of them--Leon insisted on getting one of the girl ones for him, long shorts weren’t his thing--and surprising Nessa by showing up in them. The more Leon thought about it, the more intimidated he became.

Nessa wouldn’t let him live it down. Maybe Sonia, but not him.

For the time being, Leon and Sonia resided in her room on Route 2, inspecting the uniforms she snagged the other day. She explained how she set something up with one of her gym trainers, making sure they won’t say a word to Nessa. It took a couple of PokeDollars to keep her quiet but the end would justify the means.

“They look tiny.” Leon frowned, looking down at the top and shorts he was supposed to wear. He really started to feel for the girls who had to squeeze into these things.

“They’re stretchy, it’s bathing suit material.” Sonia held her top up and gave it a pull. It didn’t make him feel any better.

“Sonny, I’m not going to fit into these shorts.”

She kissed his cheek. “If you need any help, I’m here! You know where the bathroom is, or you can do it in here--I won’t look.” He looked down at his outfit and took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to let a little outfit defeat him.

Somehow he managed to shimmy into it. It wasn’t as hard as he made it out to be, the material was flexible and easily molded to his body. Very easy to move around in, although he’d be lying if he said the shorts didn’t hurt at all. They pinched in certain areas he wished they wouldn’t, nothing too major. Just annoying. Sonia was kind enough to buy him biker shorts to wear underneath to help hide his boxers.

“Okay,” Leon slowly turned around to face the corner Sonia nestled herself into, watching her turn around, “I’m done.” She gasped and covered her mouth, eyes flickering up and down. Her hand moved from her mouth to her chest, an open-mouthed smirk covering her face.

“Leo! You look  _ hot! _ ” He could feel his face flare-up. As a public figure, Rose stressed the importance of looking how the people wanted him too. Be the ideal image, he often said, which included a strict workout routine and diet. He looked down, past his pecs to his torso. Abs, v-lines, ripped legs-- the whole package. Stepping closer to Sonia’s vanity, he got a better look at himself.

The clothing clung to him like paint. His chest could hardly fit into the top, he could see it riding up if he didn’t pay it any mind, so he tugged it down a little more firmly. A little turn, getting an idea of how they looked in places he couldn’t see. Again, very flattering to his image. He was too busy analyzing how he looked to notice Sonia shuffle into the picture and wrap her arms around his waist from behind. Leon snorted and lightly placed his hands on top of hers.

“You look so goooood… You’re gonna show me up.” She whined between his shoulder blades. He sighed.

“I think  _ you’re  _ gonna show  _ me _ up. Go get changed, don’t leave me standing here half-naked all by myself.” He smiled as he felt her giggle into him, pressing a kiss on his back as she skipped over to her bed to change. Leon assumed the position, facing a corner and twiddling his thumbs while she changed. Privacy was important, he would definitely feel slightly unsettled if she just sat and watched him undress. It’s not like they haven’t seen anything new.

It didn’t take her nearly as long as him to change, she was done in what he felt like was a minute. He knew she was done when he heard her step closer to the mirror, probably checking herself out like he was doing prior. He asked to make sure she was done, she hummed a yes and he turned around.

Leon smiled. She looked gorgeous. Her eyes matched the uniform theme, he couldn’t pull himself away from that fact. It clung to her as easily as it did him, he had less of a reason to complain. She unraveled her hair from her usual ponytail, scoffing as she realized she forgot to take out her hair clips beforehand, mumbling something as she continued to carefully let her hair down.

“Do you need help?” He asked, taking a step closer as she fluffed her hair.

“If you don’t mind.” Sonia mumbled, busying herself with one near her face. Once they were all out, she instantly dug around for accessories. One thing Leon loved about her was the fact they both had little hidden moles. There were two on the back of his neck and she had one to the right of her spine on the small of her back. He noticed it when they went to a swimming pool years ago, one of the first times he saw her in a bikini.

He usually thought about it when people found the moles on his neck.

She sat before her vanity with a few pieces of jewelry laid before her. A few necklaces, earrings, and bangles. He stood faithfully behind her and watched as she put on a necklace with a water drop pendant dangling from it and a pair of small hoops. She put on different bracelets and held them in front of her, switching them from hand to hand and trying different combinations before deciding she looked better without them.

Sonia spun around in her seat and held her arms out to him. He leaned down to her as she reached behind his neck and fastened a necklace on him. Leon looked down and picked up the charm-- a little lifesaver surrounded by a few clear and blue beads.

“What’s this?” He asked, watching her hold her own pendant up.

“Nessa came out with a little jewelry line a year or two ago, remember? A part of her modeling job, I was all over it, of course.” She dropped hers to hold his face in her hands. “So, how do I look?”

Leon put his hands on her hips and kissed her palm.

“Like the most dazzling Goldeen.” He purred into her, watching as she smiled and looked away. She liked it. Sonia leaned forward and kissed him. The tenderness was shared and invited, pulling her hips closer as he leaned into her. Leon was prepared to get carried away yet Sonia was the one to end the kiss before he could even try.

“We have a flying taxi to catch, loser.” She cooed, standing up and walking to fetch her jacket and slip it over her shoulders.

That woman...

*

“I take a day off but I can never get away from your guys’ bullshit.” Nessa hissed with a knowing smile. Sonia was all giggles and smiles, Leon laughed along too. “I was planning on going fishing but it seems you two want to take a dip.”

“No! The ocean’s cold.” Sonia stuck her tongue out at her as Nessa’s eyes focused on goosebumps on their legs.

“Go put some clothes on then!”


	8. DAY 8: SHOPPING

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a little angsty at the beginning but it gets better at the end, it's not much just ldr and ur bf being famous thingz

Sonia scooped Yamper into her arms to keep him from making a mess. She didn’t need him getting into old league cards and making a mess for the shop owner. No matter how much he squirmed, whenever Sonia put him inside her jacket he would calm down. It didn’t make it any easier for his trainer, whose arms grew tired after holding him for so long, but since he was about the size and weight of a small child, she managed.

“I need, like, a little sling for you.” She teased, peppering kisses into his neck as he panted next to her ear. “Maybe they have one of those here.”

The two found themselves in Motostoke, a little shop off of the main street that they’ve never been to before. With a new paycheck in her pocket, she wanted to splurge.

Just a little, not too much.

Maybe she wouldn’t buy anything at all, she would convince herself, just take a look around with her pokemon because she had some time. This shop would help her with that, it wasn’t anything of her usual interest so she should have no problem spending too much (or anything at all).

Several rows of League Cards, previous gym leaders and a few prominent trainers who almost made it to the champion seat greeted her at the front door. But as she stepped inside, she noticed the lines were walled with tons of collectible items. Her heart sunk and she anticipated walking out of here with her pockets feeling emptier. She parked herself in front of a section of Nessa’s cards. One from her days going through the league, a few that she’s cycled through and gave to trainers during previous years and lots of modeling photos.

Oh, Sonia adored Nessa. She only met her once when she was a trainer going through the gym challenge, Leon wouldn’t stop talking about her. Even after she quit, Leon would occasionally invite Sonia to Gym Leader parties and their friendship grew from there.

She admired Nessa’s strength, both mentally and physically, and her drive to get what she wanted. Being friends with Leon and Raihan was fun and all but what Sonia really needed was another woman to hang out with, and she found that comfort in Nessa. They went to go get their nails done after the fishing trip, it took a lot of convincing Leon to get his done too but he walked out with orange nails.

Sonia had a feeling she knew what his inspiration was.

She was purposefully avoiding the wall of Leon. Half of this shop was dedicated to him. Pictures throughout the years--even ones with her in it-- and tons of miscellaneous items. Balls with his face on it, several variations of plush toys, clothing, even a cologne line. Since when did he have his own line of cologne?

It overwhelmed her.

Sonia considered herself one of Leon’s closest friends for many years despite not seeing each other often. Contact grew thin a few times, not because either of them wanted it to but their lives were going in very different directions. Leon was going up and Sonia was going nowhere. Seeing him as something to be sold and bought was painful. It was a reminder of just how different they were.

She recalled their conversation on their date.

_ “Leo, I’m used to it by now,” She reassured with a smile and a shrug, “you’re the Chapmion, I get it.” _

_ “I’m just worried it may get too much, there’s very little privacy, y’know? I’m used to everyone knowing everything about me, I’m just scared it may get a little too much for you.” _

She scratched Yamper’s back and burrowed her face into his scruff. So she had to get used to seeing him everywhere? It’s not like it was a bad thing, she  _ loved _ seeing him. But she wanted to see Leon, not what everyone else wanted to see of Leon. They wanted little pieces of him and she wanted him. And she couldn’t have been the only one.

_ “We’ll take it as it comes.” With that, she placed her feet on top of his. He swung his feet out from under hers and tried to get on top. It resulted in a foot scuffle of the century.  _

That made her chuckle. She couldn’t afford to have him all the time, but the times they did spend together she wanted to cherish. Maybe having a little piece of him around when he wasn’t around wasn’t so bad.

Sonia shuffled towards the wall of toys. No matter how uneasy she felt, she had to admit that the ball with his face on it was funny. She readjusted Yamper on her hip to take one off the shelf and couldn’t help but smile at it. What was with his expression? Doofus. She knew Gran would get a kick out of this too, maybe the pokemon they raise can play with this, Yamper too. Wouldn’t hurt… 

Would Leon get mad if she bought something with him on it? Would he just see her as another fan? She didn’t think so, she hoped he would think it was funny. But that was also her trying to adjust to seeing so much Leon in one place. Maybe just the ball…

*

Sonia video called him once she got home. He picked up after several rings.

“Hey, Sonny! What’s up, are you okay?” He was sweaty, in a different pair of clothes than his usual Champion outfit, wiping his face with a white towel around his neck. She felt a pang of guilt.

“Oh, I’m sorry did I call at a bad time?” She asked, the phone still in her lap.

“No no, I was doing a bit of training but it’s okay! I can always take a break for you.” That made her guilt disappear. With a smile, she went over to her vanity and propped her phone up against the mirror to free up her hands.

“Okay! My bad, sorry about that honey. I just… I dunno, I went to a store today and… I didn’t realize you wore cologne?”

He paused, clearly confused by her statement. Out of her shopping bag, she pulled a bottle of cologne from his line. Maybe she bought more than just the ball.

Leon saw it and broke out laughing, dropping his head and shaking it with disbelief. “Oh, you saw that?”

“It smells just like you, Leo! You wear your own cologne?”

“I mean, yeah! I gotta sell it somehow… It was Rose’s idea so don’t laugh at me.” He pouted, she hummed in relief. She knew in the back of her mind that Leon wouldn’t do this out of his own will. A little arm twisting to make money for the League, she imagined.

“I can see that, don’t worry. But since it smells just like you I also got this,” she pulled a little plush doll of Leon out of the bag and set it next to the cologne, “so I can spray him with it and feel like you’re here with me!”

Sonia thought of the idea all by herself and she was very proud of it. She anticipated that Leon would laugh, but instead, his expression softened.

“That’s really sweet.” His voice was low, it caught her off guard. She became preoccupied with the back of the doll’s head.

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I can’t be there with you all the time.”

“No no! No, don’t be, it’s fine! I get it, I mean, maybe we can hang out again soon if you’re not busy.” She watched as his eyes moved around in thought, taking careful notice how he bit his lip in consideration. Her heart pounded.

“Well, I’m going to be with Raihan doing a publicity thing soon, maybe you can come? I can ask Rose, I’m sure that the Professor’s granddaughter being there will make it better. We’re not going to be doing much, a new Alcremie baking competition is being hosted in Hammerlocke so we’re going to watch and support.”

“Oh! I actually think Gran is going to be one of the judges! She mentioned something like that so I was going to go support her regardless. But! Maybe after the three of us can do something together?”

He smiled genuinely. Nothing like the pictures in the shop, no, this was a smile only Sonia Magnolia got to see. “Absolutely.”

“Then it’s a date! Oh, and I got a ball with your face on it.”

“Burn it.”


	9. DAY 9: HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> several things:  
> this chapter is honestly really messy and i apologize for that, i PROMISE the next one will be more thought out and not as sloppy. i've not been mentally like. here. for the past few days, i'm trying to get back into to swing of things  
> also follow me on twitter lets be friends @ himboluvr

Sonia was relieved to see a seat had been reserved for her next to Leon. A small name tag with the name “Sonia Magnolia” written in gold cursive was placed deliberately on the center of a velvet-lined chair--only the best for T.V. appearances. When he saw her, he couldn’t help a huge grin from taking over his face.

She eagerly took her seat.

He took her hand.

Raihan leaned forward and pouted, reaching his hand out to take her and Leon’s hands and mouthed something that looked like, “What about me?” She raised Raihan’s hand to her mouth and gave it a kiss, causing him to overdramatically gasp, drawing a giggle out from the three of them. It was just like they were kids.

They were seated in the front row, easy for cameras to get a good shot at them. Leon and Raihan complained about some interview after the competition, chatting amongst themselves about how it happened everywhere they went. Leon turned his shoulder to Sonia to talk to him. She had to give his hand a firm squeeze to remind him she was still there. 

They faced the kitchen where three bakers and their Alcremies were supposed to compete. A newcomer from Circhester, a returning champ from Hammerlocke, and a home baker from Turfield. The judges weren’t supposed to come out yet, only after the baking was over.

It was a frenzy of food. They worked tirelessly as cameras loomed throughout the kitchen, having to back up constantly to avoid bumping into the bakers as they scurried about. It smelt  _ amazing _ , sugar and butter, lots of vanilla too. Raihan made a comment about having to swallow his spit every five minutes.

Leon turned to Sonia. “Is this your first time being interviewed?”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m going to be interviewed?” He shrugged and nodded, his look told her it was a high possibility. “There may have been a time when I was when I was doing my Gym Challenge, but not since.”

“If your Nan’s a judge and you’re seen with Raihan and I, there’s a good chance some reporters may ask you a few questions. Be vague and smile, okay?” He pressed a quick kiss against her cheek. Sonia became acutely aware of the one camera pointed towards the audience.

They were given two hours to bake, the trio chatted amongst themselves sparsely, mostly about the food. Sonia and Leon’s hands slipped in and out of each other, mainly to give themselves a chance to breathe and wipe the sweat off on their pants. The food was presented on three pillars before the audience, a swoon of “ooh”s and “aah”s rippling over the crowd.

Circhester presented homemade cream puffs with a Pecha Berry pastry and mint cream filling, dusted with powdered sugar and a Pecha Berry reduction drizzled on top. Hammerlocke presented a four-layer chocolate cake lemon frosting, sprayed with food coloring and decorated to resemble Hammerlocke’s famed architecture (Raihan piped in saying that was his favorite). Turfield presented a creme brulee with ruby cream, paired with vanilla wafers in a bowl made out of caramel drizzle and a raspberry sauce.

Leon was impressed, Sonia was amazed.

The judges came out from a secret room, all chefs and their partners lined up before them alongside their dish. There was Gran, Chairman Rose, and a special guest from Kalos. Sonia’s eyes widened and a hand went to her mouth.

“Holy shit.” Sonia whispered.

“Is that… Siebold?” Raihan seemed equally shocked. The two of them reached over Leon to exchange looks of disbelief. One of the most highly regarded chefs in Kalos, his reputation for battling and food far exceeded his home region. Not to mention his effortless beauty, Sonia had always had a bit of a celebrity crush on him, Leon knew it all too well. She always kept up with his social media, even going out of her way to binge cooking shows he was in. A lot of the dishes Leon liked she got from him, not that she would ever tell.

Leon looked at Sonia with a knowing smirk, she elbowed his arm and hid her face in his shoulder.

The Circhester baker was first. Professor Magnolia commented on the richness of the cream with a fond smile. Rose agreed yet wasn’t thrilled about the sauce on top of the creampuff, saying that it made it soggy. Siebold only took one bite before commenting on how dry the creampuff was, and how the sauce made it soggy and gave it a weird texture. He liked the presentation and the contrast of pink and green in the dish. For the baker, that was enough.

The Hammerlocke baker was next. All three judges agreed the presentation was breathtaking and represented the values of Galar perfectly. When it got down to the cake, Magnolia and Siebold agreed the chocolate and lemon didn’t go well together. Rose didn’t seem to mind it, instead, he dabbed at his mouth and praised him for a rich, moist cake.

The Turfield baker was last. Sonia giggled along with Gran, knowing that creme brulee was her favorite dessert. She, of course, had nothing bad to say and neither did Rose. Siebold said that the sugar coating was a little overdone, but was satisfied with the smooth texture. He wished the raspberry sauce had more of a role in the creme brulee, he thought the wafers and sauce were an afterthought. She gave a sharp nod in return, not phased.

The three of them went into a private room to discuss their decision, Sonia turned to Leon.

“The creme brulee is gonna win.” She was confident about her answer, Raihan was adamant she wasn’t.

“Nuh-uh! The cake is  _ obviously _ gonna win! This is a  _ Galar _ competition, they were way too impressed by this cake.”

“Two of the judges didn’t like the lemon and the chocolate together. Like, yeah, presentation is important but this is a bake-off, the taste is important!” She sneered, Raihan grit his teeth and looked to Leon for help.

He put his hands up in defense. Sonia pouted and was about to say more before the judges came back out and the room fell silent.

“Thank you to everyone who came to support our bakers!” Rose, of course, took the role of the announcer. “As you know, the proceeds of this competition are donated to the Kingston-Burrows Scholarship to help young culinary artists achieve their dreams.

“It was a very tough decision, to say the least, and we want to personally thank the bakers for their hard work and  _ delicious _ food.” There was slight laughter through the audience.

“In third place is Circhester.” Applause, followed by Professor Magnolia carefully walking up to the chef to award a medal and ribbon, paired with a firm handshake for the cameras.

“And the first place winner is…” The crowd leaned forward in their seats. “Turfield! Congratulations.” It was a burst of applause and whistles, the baker so overwhelmed with joy she nearly fell to her knees. It was a bit of a rush to see if she was okay, she reassured she was and all was well. The judges and the contestants exchanged handshakes and pleasantries as the audience slowly started to funnel out of the building. Not before several reporters flocked to the trio.

“What did you think of the competition?”

“Leon, who were you rooting for?”

“Leon, how much did you donate to the scholarship?”

“Raihan, how do you feel about Hammerlocke coming in second place?”

“Sonia, are you and Leon dating?”

No matter how many times Leon and Raihan were approached by reporters, they were flustered by these ones. Especially Sonia. Leon must’ve caught ear of what someone asked Sonia, for he leaned in front of the microphone and flashed the reporter his typical winning smile.

“Come now, don’t bombard her like this. Today is about putting your best foot forward and showing off your skills, not gossip. But I will have you all know we had a Champion of a time at the bake-off.” He took her by the hand and quickly made for an escape as they scribbled down what he said in notebooks. Raihan was right on her heels, she assumed he must’ve winked or flashed a smile as she heard a few swoons as they headed out.

Leon wasn’t too happy about it, it made Sonia sheepish. “The balls on those reporters…” He hissed under his breath, Raihan cracking his neck and popping his back.

“You guys were practically snogging.” He commented, a faint curiosity to his tone.

“Were not.” Leon retorted.

“Nobody has ever caught the big and powerful Leon kiss anybody in public before.” Raihan mocked, waving his hands about. “You gonna blame them for getting ideas? Because I sure did. So what’s going on?”

Sonia fidgeted with her sleeve, keeping a fixed gaze on to the left of Raihan’s foot. “We’re just taking it as it goes.”

“Well, it’s about time you two stopped playing chicken. We’re staying at my place tonight and having a good time, okay? I know you two don’t get enough time together as it is, especially not with me.” Sonia and Leon perked up.

None of them were in the mood for sweets, the room smelt too sugary to deal with. Sonia wanted something fatty so pizza it was. Raihan wanted a Hammerlocke style pizza, Sonia wanted a Turfield style just to spite. Leon had to play the mediator to keep the two from fighting it out in a pizza parlor. Just like they were kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: the dish that the turfield baker made is one that i've made before! i did it for a final in high school... i love baking and cooking so this chapter was fun for me hehe


	10. UPDATE!

HI! ok sorry I just wanted to post this here really quick to say i will be picking this story back up soon!! school has been stressing me out to hell & back and it's almost over so! i will try to write more soon thank you to everyone who has left super nice comments & kudos on this fic i didn't really expect so many people to say they like it

i won't let you guys down!!  
see you soon!  
xoxo, froggy


	11. FILLER: SLEEPOVER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a cute little drabble to lead into the next day's prompt!! it got kinda long so i don't want it to clog up all the next chapter

With bellies full of pizza, the trio waltzed off to Raihan’s bedroom and plopped themselves onto a king-sized bed. His chambers, as Raihan insisted it was called in a pompous accent, was adorned with wide windows that faced the sun, which now bore sight of the moon, and decorated to the brim with posters. Posters of former gym leaders, a huge signed picture of him and Mustard, and several of himself. Somehow he managed to snag a few vintage posters of Opal when she was first starting out, he always boasted its price tag. But right in front of his bed was the biggest T.V. Sonia had ever seen. One of those curved ones too, to help you feel like you were really there.

They flipped it to some comedy channel where the jokes rarely rose a laugh from any of them. It was solely for background noise. Raihan dug through his bathroom for a bottle of half-empty sky blue nail polish, flashing Sonia a guilty smile. Leon scoffed.

“That’s a gay ass color, where’s the purple?” Raihan bared his teeth at him, walking over to his bed as Sonia patted her lap.

“You go find it, it’s in the bathroom somewhere.” They passed each other as Raihan climbed onto his bed and eagerly placed his hands on Sonia’s thighs, drumming them lightly as she shook the bottle.

Leon came back shortly with a bottle of lilac-colored nail polish, getting started on his own hand.

“The fuck you mean my blue is a gay ass color, do you see what you’re painting  _ your  _ nails?” Raihan sneered over Sonia’s head at the other.

Leon dipped the brush into the bottle and ran it over his thumb. “Shut up or I’m making you paint my toes.”

That made him quiet.

Raihan, who was terrible at painting his nails, always asked Sonia to help him out whenever the two of them were together. She always did, and in less than a half an hour he had a sparkling manicure. She beamed with pride seeing him check out his hands for the rest of the night.

Leon only joined in on occasion, something about Rose not wanting flashy colors to clash with his image so he would only paint them flesh-colored or black. Lilac was a refreshing change of pace. Sonia was sure to comment on how much she liked the color once he was finished. She was sure to catch how he grinned from ear to ear.

Once everyone’s nails were safely dried, they started to think about getting changed into pajamas. Leon had his own pair that he left at Raihan’s place, Sonia wasn’t as prepared.

“Do you wanna wear some of mine?” Leon had offered her as she shook her hair out of a ponytail.

“I kinda wanna see what kind of rich PJs Rai has.” Leon immediately beckoned her over to Raihan’s dresser as he was safely squared away in his bathroom, showering.

“This is my favorite.” Out he pulled an orange silk shirt with the word “RAIHAN” written on the back in rhinestones. “A fan made it for him.”

Sonia snatched it out of his hands and giggled, dancing to the other side of the room so she could change in peace. This was so him, she snickered to herself as she slipped the shirt over her shoulders and started buttoning it up the front.

“Sonny, oh my  _ god _ .” Leon snorted from across the room. She craned her head over her shoulder to see him cover his mouth and shake with silent laughter. “It goes to your  _ knees _ .” She looked down and stretched her leg in front of her, observing the length. Her body bent in half as she tried to stifle her laughs, hearing as the water turned off. Leon scrambled under the covers and waved for Sonia to come over quickly. She dove into the bed and Leon covered her whole body with the comforter. Just in time for Raihan to open the door.

The sound of quiet footsteps, mindless humming, and a drawer opening. A pause. A little bit of ruffling around. Another pause.

“Lee, did you see where my orange shirt went?”

“You mean the one with your name on it?”

“Yeah.”

Leon pulled off the covers to reveal Sonia who burst out laughing. Raihan gasped and immediately pouted.

“I was gonna wear that tonight!” He huffed.

“W-Wear the pants, let’s match!” Sonia wheezed. And snatching up the pair of matching pants, he sauntered off to the bathroom and changed. Leon and Sonia lost it, collapsing over each other with uncontrollable fits of laughter. They clung to each other for support, although those grapples for support became gentle touches, a hand falling down Leon’s arm and a hand holding her head against his chest. The sensation of another person beside each other was enough to cause them to settle down, just enough before Raihan walked out of the bathroom and stood, waiting for attention. The two of them looked towards him. He turned around to reveal that the seat of the pants read “DRAGON TAMER” and that was the end of it. 

Laughing so hard until you’re in pain is different. Something you’ll remember and joke about until the end of time, no matter how much someone may say they hate it they never do. All three of them laughed til they ached, Raihan sprawled over the floor as Sonia stumbled out of bed, trying hard not to wet herself, to offer him a hand. He took it and hauled himself up, almost pulling her down in the process, picking her up and spinning her around. It was enough to snap her out of it, seeing as she was at least a meter above the ground.

The three crawled into bed and took a moment to watch what was on T.V. Some guy pulling pranks on random people in a park, and the three found every little thing funny now. They had to change the channel to spare themselves any more pain. A show or two later, it was off to bed.

Raihan insisted that he was the little spoon. Sonia clung to his back and Leon had his arms wrapped around her waist. Safely sandwiched between the two who meant the world to her, she was the first to drift off to sleep.


End file.
